Capricorn 2016

[gloame]

Cardinal Earth: the essence of ambition. This is the scent of careful calculations, implacable determination, meticulous planning, authority, and reputation. Distinguished and profound, relentless and cunning, this perfume enables you to find a use for all things: ivy twining around Haitian vetiver, red poppy, sinuous oudh, black sandalwood, and smoky patchouli.

Well, as a diehard Capricorn, I knew I HAD to have this blend since I missed the 2007 one. EVEN THOUGH... I suspected it would be a green/aquatic blend and I usually hate those. Priorities.

In the bottle: Yes. Green AND aquatic. Of course. The vetiver is heavy-handed and the Capricorn in me is quietly perturbed.

Skin: Really hoping the sandalwood comes out here. As a Capricorn, I feel compelled to say that (generalizing) Capricorns are moody, ambitious, dry-witted, and not particularly green or fresh. I feel like this blend deserves a bit more sandalwood and oud, for the sake of all Capricorns. It's more aquatic than earthy, and we're an Earth sign. Seagoats should have more earth to go with their water. ;D

Drydown: Oh thank fish. With drydown, a bit of resin comes out. I don't know what poppy smells like (guess I should go to England to find out!) so I don't know if that's showing up or not. But I'm not smelling anything I can't identify so...

It's still too aquatic for me, but the sandalwood, patchouli, and oud are warming it up a bit after 10-15 minutes. I think I'll pack it away and see how it does in 6 months or so. Maybe it will be a bit earthier by then.

[Lamia]

I confess to being a little disappointed in this. I also found it incredibly aquatic (thank goodness it's not just me) which, considering the ingredients, was a bit of a jolt. No patchouli, no sandalwood, no vetiver.

 

I will also put this away for a while and hope it .... ah ... dries out a bit

[Follow My Nose]

In the bottle: I get a strong "green" scent, with slight hints of floral and dirt, probably from the poppies and patchouli.

Wet on skin: Vetiver is definitely the main note, the green variety with minimal smokiness. I can see where people are getting an aquatic feel from this, sort of fresh and watery.

During drydown: Aha, there are the earthy notes coming out to play, especially sandalwood and a hint of something cedar-ish. I'm not very familiar with oudh, I wonder if it could be that. I also smell a faint hint of something like black pepper, could be the patch or maybe the ivy.

When dry: The sandalwood blends all of the other notes together to make a smooth, lovely perfume that is green and aquatic on top with an earthy base, like a reverse of the sea-goat. It is almost an early spring woods feeling for this winter sign, like the first melt in a forest.

This was a blind buy for me, since it's my zodiac scent. Naturally, I was hoping to like it, and vetiver and sandalwood are both great notes for me, but I was pleasantly surprised to really fall in love with it!

Capricorn 2016 is quite unisex and uniquely sexy. It has nice depth while remaining soft, and there are many subtle layers to this scent, much like us Capricorns.

Edited December 28, 2016 by Follow My Nose

[patina]

I had hoped this scent wouldn't be all smoke all the time, but actually on the first sniff, I get leather. The leather from Leather Phoenix to be exact. The same kind of sophistication. It also smells glossy and green in a way that could be called aquatic but isn't soapy. I'm guessing it's the poppy doing this, along with the ivy.

 

After a little wear I get some smoke but overall this is low key. A deep scent without much throw.

[suki]

I am a Capricorn, so there was no way to avoid getting this scent!

 

In The Bottle: Sweet red poppy and some slightly gritty oudh.

 

Wet On Skin: The green of the ivy starts to come out, as does the smoke of the patchouli. Interestingly, at this point, I'm not getting any of the actual patch, just the smoke.

 

Dry Down: Weird. This scent turned all super "green" and 'leafy' on me. No poppy, no woods, the smoke is gone. This is practically an Ivy Single Note on me. While fresh ivy is an interesting thing to capture in a scent, I'm pretty disappointed that my skin chemistry has made it so that none of the other notes are here in the slightest.

 

I haz sad.

[lady_pandora]

Capricorn starts out with a pleasant soapy greenness. It's not a piney sort of green--is this the ivy? I suppose I've never actually sniffed an ivy vine before, so I'm not sure. It becomes less soapy as it dries down, but there's still some of that mingling with a mossier green note that reminds me of the drydown of Bewitched. I'm not really sure what I'm smelling here, but I like it! Very clean, very green, watery without being an ozone headache. I get none of the dark notes, oddly!

 

ETA: When applying a bigger slather, I can make out the poppy!

Edited July 6, 2017 by lady_pandora

[zankoku_zen]

Ivy, poppy - mossy greens that then become sandalwood and patchouli based. It's a green/watery blend at the beginning that then starts showing off its earthy roots/energy. I'd give this to a sandalwood/patchouli lover that really wants a "green leafy scent". It's very apropos to what I consider Capricornian energy. Medium throw and wear length.